Chemical compounds and reefing: Do you need to understand the chemistry stuff to have a successful reef tank?

[ACW33]

My first tank was started in the mid nineties, I had it running for sixteen years by just watching and if things looked off I just increased water changes. I could get away with it as it was mostly softies with a few lps. I learned early that wouldn’t work as well with a pro dominant lps with a couple sps tank. Chemistry has been more important to me.

Helpfu

Totally agree, especially since Randy @Randy Holmes-Farley
Is on here to provide real answers and advice when our own recollection of chemical reactions is a bit FeO2.

Of course it is better to have a working knowledge of what is happening to help keep the growing reef alive and thriving and maintaining chemical balance rather than having to rely on the experts, but since they are here we can search for the answers that they have already provided and generally figure out what is needed.

Anyone dosing PeptoBismol since Thanksgiving?

Yep! Lol. I prefer the pepto tablets over the liquid though lol.

 

[KrisReef]

Helpfu

Yep! Lol. I prefer the pepto tablets over the liquid though lol.

I grew up as a child with a bottle of formula in one hand and a bottle of Pepto Pink in the other. I grew to like the taste of the pink chalky liquid and I still do.

 

[KK's Reef]

I don't think you need to know enough to write a scientific paper, but you should at least know what the major compounds do and what they do to your tank.

 

[KrisReef]

I personally do not think that any chemistry knowledge is necessary. I do feel that some understanding of biology is helpful however, like the nitrification cycle and how anaerobic organisms work in denitrification. Also helpful to me is marine plant biology but I really do not know anything about chemistry and my tank is doing ok.

What's that tiny fish being chased by the cleaner wrasse?

 

[flashsmith]

Nope... That's why there's test kits. If I knew all the chemistry it wouldn't be a hobby and I better be earning a paycheck at that point..lol

 

[Uncle99]

A general understanding, yes.
An in-depth understanding, nope.
I just follow the numbers mostly.

 

[Sump Crab]

Nope. I literally pay zero attention to anything besides temp and specific gravity lol. I couldn’t have fun in this hobby if I had to keep up with numbers and dosing and all that crap!

Dead #$$ serious lol

 

[Sump Crab]

I personally do not think that any chemistry knowledge is necessary. I do feel that some understanding of biology is helpful however, like the nitrification cycle and how anaerobic organisms work in denitrification. Also helpful to me is marine plant biology but I really do not know anything about chemistry and my tank is doing ok.

Same, I take the biological/ecological approach rather than the chemist approach lol

 

[vlangel]

What's that tiny fish being chased by the cleaner wrasse?

He's not being chased, it only looks that way in the pic. That is "the Lone Ranger", one of my 2 masked gobies!

 

[DeputyDog95]

I don't think you really need to know anything beyond the targeted parameters for your specific corals and how to maintain them. The why behind those parameters? It's interesting information for sure, and I've learned a lot over the years. But does it matter, to me anyway? Nope. As long as you can get the required, broadly accepted parameters from the hobby experts, that's all you really need to be successful. Copy paste what other successful reefers are doing and chances are, you'll have success too!